Toothpick and method of forming the same.



PATENTBD MAR. 20, 19 06.

. H. s. HOPPER. TOOTHPIOK AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1905- 'FIG 5 IV rxvzasss 'Hz/weY c5 "HOP/3512' BY im v UNITED T ES-PA EN QFFIQE.

HENRY R NORFOLK, imam I To all whom it may abate Be it known that I, HENRY S. HOPPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new'and usethrough a chisel used'in the process. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are diagrams illustrating the sucsessive steps in the process of manufacture, and Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the com pleted toothpicks.

In the present state of the artof manufacturing wooden toothpicks the picks are formed from splints'of wood cut from com-' paratively large timber; The fiber of the wood is therefore of uniform character throughout the splint, and the sharpened points are very brittle and frequently break off between the teeth.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to obtain a construction of pick which is strong and flexible by cutting the same from an annular growth in which the portion forming the point of the pick is harder and tougher than the body portion. The material which I preferably employ forthis urpose is obtained from cane, reeds, or other similar tubular growths. These are formed with an outer wall or skin of very hard tough fiber within which is a growth of softer fiber. Thus by splitting the annular growth radially splints are obtained having one side of hard fiber and the other side of softer material, and by sharpening the splints from the softer side to the harder the pointswill be formed entirely of the hard material.

In the manufacture of toothpicks of this character I preferably employ the method diagrammatically represented in. Figs. 2, 3,

and 4. The first step is to out the cane or reeds into suitable lengths, removing the knots, and this may conveniently be done, as shown in'Fig. 7, by the use of saws on the dotted lines A of Fig. 2. Separate saws are Specification of Letters Patent.

D, as shown in In the drawlngs, Figure 11s a cross-section tomatically Batented March q set 'so as to cut between the knots sections B of suitable length to form the toothpicks. These sections B are next reamed out by suitable ream's'C at opposite ends, as illustrated in Fig. 3, so as to taper in longitudinal section from the full thickness of A the growth a at the center to a thin edge I) at the end. The sections'are then split radially, preferably by suitable chisels D, into splints of suitable length, each of which is provided with a chisel-point having its edge formed of the hard fiber, as shown ,in Fig. 5. During the operation the sections are preferably held in blocks F in cylindrical bores, and for splitting the sections they may be forced out of the bores by the plunger G against the chisel Fig. 4. However, I do not wish to limit myself to any specific means for holding, reaming, or splitting, as any means of so doing is within the scope of my invention. The operations of. sharpening and splitting the cane-sections are preferably auaccomplished in a single machine, suc as forms the subject-matter of my application, Serial N 0. 242,965. The toothpick is preferably completed by being smoothed by sanding .or any suitable means.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A toothpick comprising a splint severed from an annular growth of fiber, and having its point tapered to one surface of said growth.

2. A toothpick comprising a splint severed from an annular growth of fiber of varying tenacity in difierent portions of its thickness, the point of the pick being tapered toward one face of the annular growth.

3. A toothpick comprising a splint, radially severed from an annular growth of fiber, andhaving its point tapered from the inner to the outer face of said growth. I

4. A- toothpick comprising a splint, radially severed from a tubular reed and tapered toward-the outer surface of the reed to form a point. i I

5' A toothpick comprising a splint, severed from an annular growth of fiber, the texture of which is of varying toughness, the point of the pick being tapered outwardly toward the tougher surface of the fiber. v 6. The process of forming toothpicks, con-.

.sisting in'first beveling a tube formed from an of the endthereof, and in thenradially sever ing said tube into splints.

7. The process of forming a toothpick, con- IIO sisting in first cutting atube of suitable length from an annular growth of fiber, and then ened edge and then radially severing the no beveling the end of said tube from the inner same into separate splints. to the outer face thereof to form a sharpened I In testimony whereof I afiix my signature edge, and in then severing the tube radially in presence of two Witnesses.

5 into splints.

T T T 8. The process of forming toothpieks Which {IE} R1 HOPPER consists in cutting, reeds to form short tubes, Witnesses: severed between the knots, and in then bev- W. D. STOAKLEY,

eling the edge of said tubes to form a sharp- B. T. STOAKLEY. 

